Our Stories

“So what are YOU going to do about that?” It is a simple sentence and it used to freeze former Minister of Māori Affairs Koro Tainui Wētere in his tracks. Tā Tipene O’Regan (Ngāi Tahu) laughs as he remembers weaver and historian Te Aue Davis remonstrating with her cousin for some breach of Māori tradition.

The summer gardening season has been kind to us this year in the Shaky City, with cooler-than-normal temperatures and occasional rain helping stave off the need for the city council to impose a total water ban (so far).

Beech forests are widespread over much of Aotearoa. They straddle the spine of the mountain ranges of both islands, from the volcanic plateau of Te Ika a Māui to the southern coasts and ranges of Murihiku.

Every year Ngāi Tahu commemorates Waitangi Day at one of three locations where the iwi signed the Treaty – Awarua, Ōtākou and Ōnuku. This year it was the turn of Te Rau Aroha Marae at Awarua to open its doors to whānau, the community and the Crown.

Tā Mason Durie is one of Māoridom’s most cogent commentators, and a collection of some of his keynote addresses to conferences across New Zealand and the world from 2003 to 2010 is welcome, both as a reference and as a marker for Māori. His talks cover many fields from his primary field of health – particularly for Māori – to indigeneity, education and the Māori estate in its broadest scope. On all these topics he has many important and worthwhile things to say.

Hayden Wilson is head coach at the Groundworx Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club in Christchurch, which he launched a year ago with his wife Angela. He began training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 10 years ago and currently holds the rank of brown belt.

In March 2012 the Ngāi Tahu Fund Committee held the second ever Ngāi Tahu Cultural Summit at Puketeraki Marae. The purpose of this hui was to allow for reflection and feedback 6 years post the establishment of the Ngāi Tahu Fund to see if the Fund was having an impact strategically in revitalising our Ngāi…